If I Must Choose
by WizardRain
Summary: Hermione and Harry are staying at the Burrow for the summer, before the trio parts ways in order to continue their education postHogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: You Have Secrets**

**A/N: First of all, if you have seen this story at another fanfic site, it's because I'm the same person. I'm WizardRain here and everywhere. Thanks for reading!**

"Ron! She's here," Harry Potter called up the stairs to his best friend as he rushed out the front door. He ran towards Hermione Granger and hugged her. It had been a month since their parting at King's Cross Station and he had missed her.

"Hi, Harry!" Hermione said excitedly, "How's everything? Where's Ron?"

"Oy, Hermione," Ron called out his window, waving down at them.

"Hi! We're coming right up. Just let me put my things in Ginny's room," Hermione called back at him. She practically skipped into the house. She was so happy to be back at the Burrow, it was like her second home, next to Hogwarts, of course. Harry followed her up the long, rickety staircase and into Ginny Weasley's room. He noticed a disapproving look that Hermione shot at him, and, grinning to himself, left the room and headed to Ron's room.

"Harry, where's Hermione?" Ron asked, a tinge of blush creeping up his neck. He was sitting on his bed, looking out his garden-facing window.

"She's coming. She's just putting her things in Ginny's room. They're probably talking, so she'll be a few minutes," Harry said, laughing at the red now taking over Ron's face.

A few minute later, Hermione walked into the vibrantly orange room, and, upon seeing Ron, her face broke into a wide smile. She rushed over to him and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She then joined Harry at the end of Ron's bed.

"So, how's your summer been, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking embarrassed and still feeling his cheek. Things were had been awkward between Ron and Hermione for a while now, ever since Dumbledore's funeral. Ron still remembered the silky touch of her hair and he could still fell her sobbing against him.

"Oh, it's been good," Hermione said, with a twinkle in her eye, "I've been sort of busy applying to schools, so it's been kind of stressful."

"Where do you think you'll go?" Harry asked. The trio had just finished their last year at Hogwarts, even though they had not been present for most of it. They had been too busy fighting and defeating Lord Voldemort.

"I don't know, but I want to stay in England, so probably somewhere close by," Hermione answered, "Where are you going, Ron?"

"Um, I applied to Hatheld, in Boston and Morisson, in Florida. Both have really awesome auror programs, so I hope to get in there," Ron said sheepishly, knowing what kind of reaction he was about to receive.

"America! You're going to America," Hermione shouted, "You can't! America, Ron?"

"Calm down, Hermione. Ron's just applying to some American schools, he applied to the British ones I applied at, to," Harry said feebly, knowing he would never calm her down.

"Aghh! Stay out of this, Harry. We agreed to all go to schools here, in England. You can't move, Ron!" Hermione said, a little more calmly. Harry smiled at her quieted voice and accepted a grateful look form Ron.

Suddenly, a tapping sound came at the window. It was an owl. The owl was brown, with grey and black streaks through its silky feathers. Neither Ron nor Harry recognized the owl, but Hermione did.

"Damn," Hermione muttered, running to the window and letting the owl in. She took the scroll from the owl's leg and read the letter. Harry and Ron went over to the window and stood behind Hermione to read the letter with her, but she shoved them away. That didn't stop them, however, and Ron glimpsed a name at the bottom of the paper. _Jason_. Ron felt his stomach twist into a knot. He backed away.

"Who is Jason?" He asked, simply, "Hermione," He said, when she didn't answer, "who's Jason?"

"Ron, he's just a boy I met over the summer. Calm down," She said, rolling her eyes.

"Bloody hell, are you dating him?" Ron said, trying to disguise the disgust in his voice.

"I was," Hermione replied, looking up at Ron. She could see the glare in his eyes, so she glared back.

"Seems like you shouldn't be getting all mad at me for having secrets, Hermione, because you have some serious ones of your own." Ron yelled in her face. Hermione stared at her feet, and then ran out of the room. She didn't understand it, but Ron could get her

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I know this chapter is insanely short, but it's my first chapter ever, so I wasn't sure how to lengthen it without making it boring. The next chapters are longer, so it'll be better. Thanks for reading, everyone! Please review and tell me how I'm doing!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Jealous**

Hermione opened her eyes and, for a moment, was confused about where she was. Then it dawned on her, she was at the Burrow. She sat up and looked around, expecting to see the orange of Ron's walls. Instead, she saw the pale blue that Ginny had chosen to paint her room. She didn't know why she had expected to be in Ron's room, but she wasn't going to think it over too much. Over-thinking things had gotten her into too much trouble before.

"Hey, Hermione. You're finally up," Ginny sighed sarcastically, coming to sit on Hermione's camp bed.

"What time it is, Gin?" Hermione asked as she stood up to get dressed.

"It's almost ten. Everyone is downstairs, waiting for you. Mum thought you were sick, so she asked me to stay up here with you," Ginny explained, making a face at her mother's constant worrying, "Ron looked extra worried, just so you know."

"Oh, shut up. You know there's nothing between me and Ron, we're just friends," Hermione said, holding up a jean skirt for Ginny's approval. Ginny nodded and walked over to Hermione's suitcase. She looked inside, reached to the bottom and held up a skimpy, strapless tank top.

"Ginny! No way, I'm not wearing that. I can't go downstairs looking like that," Hermione rambled, glaring at Ginny. Ginny laughed and tossed the top back into the suitcase. She picked up a more Hermione-like t-shirt, and threw at Hermione.

"This, I will wear," Hermione laughed, realizing how stupid she had been to worry. Ginny knew her better than that. She was her best girlfriend and respected her for who she was. She changed into the outfit and ran a brush through her hair. When she turned away from the mirror, Ginny was gone. Hermione went downstairs, and, upon seeing Ginny sitting at the kitchen table, she relaxed. Hermione sat at the table and looked up, right into Ron's blue eyes.

"_Shit," _Hermione thought, _"He's still mad at me and now he's going to ignore me."_

"Good morning, Hermione. How did you sleep well? Are you hungry?" Mrs. Weasley asked, placing a plate in front of her. It was piled high with eggs, bacon and toast. Hermione knew she would never eat it all, so she held it out to Ron as a kind of peace-offering. He glared at her and she felt her heart sink. She picked at her food for a few minutes before asking to be excused. She went upstairs to Ginny's room and was soon joined by Harry.

"Harry, you know you're not allowed in here. Get out," Hermione said calmly, pointing at the door.

"Hermione, I'm just trying to help. Ron's kind of jealous. He doesn't like you going out with other guys," Harry said, sitting on Hermione's cot.

"What do you mean by OTHER guys?" Hermione said loudly, leaning against the wall and pounding the desk beside her, "We were never going out. We never dated."

"Hermione, you need to tell Ron this. I think you're both just confused about where your, err, relationship is," Harry said, looking at Hermione knowingly.

"Harry, just leave me alone. I don't care what Ron thinks," Hermione whispered.

Harry started to leave the room, and then turned and said, "You should care; he's your best friend."

Later that day, Hermione was in the garden talking to Ginny. Ginny was listening intently and trying to calm Hermione. She was slightly hysterical after her conversation with Harry, and she, for once in her life, seemed confused.

"He makes me so mad. He's nice, and then he's rude, mean, nasty, vain, jealous. Ugh," Hermione ranted angrily about Ron. She was sitting on a rock, with her face buried in her hands, hot tears streaming down her face.

"Hermione, who's Jason?" Ginny asked quickly, trying not to upset her anymore.

"He's a boy I met a few weeks ago. He's really nice and really cute," Hermione said, her voice lacking the enthusiasm that would make the topic interesting.

"Sounds nice," Ginny said with a small smile. "Just ignore Ron, he's a prat. Someday he'll accept that he can't be jealous about you dating if you guys never went out. Oh, and I guarantee he won't get into the American school he applied to. They're two of the best schools and Ron's not that smart." Hermione laughed and wiped her eyes. Ron wasn't as thick as everyone said he was, but the familiarity of Ginny's insult was very comforting. "So, are you gonna be okay?" Ginny giggled and gave Hermione a one-armed hug.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm just worried about getting our acceptance letters. I really want Ron to stay here, he's my best friend. He can't just leave me and Harry behind," Hermione sighed, looking to Ginny for reassurance.

"Did you ever think that maybe he's leaving England to get away from Harry? It would make sense, I mean, seeing as Harry's always the centre of attention, maybe Ron just wants to make a name for himself."

Hermione thought about this theory for a minute before replying, "But why does he have to leave. You're idea makes sense but it's just so, ugh!" She stood up and started pacing. "He shouldn't have to go to America just to get attention. I don't think he's any less of a man than Harry. He's perfect just the way he is."

"Then tell him that. That's exactly what he needs to hear. He needs you to tell him everything, he always has," Ginny laughed. Hermione joined her, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. Neither girl really remembered what they were laughing about, but the lightened mood had made both feel a lot better than they had that morning.

Meanwhile, Harry and Ron were playing a one on one Quidditch match up the hill from the Burrow. Harry was just about to score on Ron, when a gust of wind blew him off course. Ron laughed at him and suddenly found himself on the ground, after being feverishly attacked by Harry. Both boys stood up, still laughing, brushed of their pants and, with an agreeing nod, moved down the hill and towards the Burrow.

Just as they reached the bottom of the hill, Ron glimpsed Ginny and Hermione sitting in the garden, laughing hysterically. At the sight of Hermione's smiling face, Ron felt his knees go week. He stared for a few moments before Harry, laughing at Ron's expression, turned him around and led him to the broom shed.

As they were leaving the shed, after storing their brooms safely in their places, Ron walked over to the garden where Hermione now sat alone. He guessed that Ginny must have gone inside to talk to Harry, or to plan an evil attack on him, hoping he would finally admit his feelings for Hermione. Either way, she wasn't anywhere to be seen, so Ron sat on the ground next to Hermione and started talking, "Look, I'm sorry Hermione."

"Great apology, Ron," Hermione said with a small giggle. "Try something like, I'm soooo sorry that I mortally offended you and that I'm too chicken to ask you out so I get jealous when you go out with other boys instead."

"Hermione," Ron groaned. "I'm so sorry that I mortally offended you and that I'm too chick-" Ron stopped, a pure red blush creeping up his neck. Hermione started laughing. Ron glared at her.

"I'm not jealous of Jason," Ron said his name with a sneer.

"Whatever you say, Ron," Hermione sighed. Ron shot her a death glare and stood up to leave.

"You better be off to write to Jason, then. Or does Vicky's letter need to be sent?"

"Ron! You are so immature. I'm not seeing Victor, that was years ago, and Jason is, um, he's just a friend," Hermione shouted, hitting Ron in the ribs with her elbow as she stood up. Ignoring his

cry of pain, she walked briskly into the Burrow and headed up the stairs to Ginny's room. As she opened the door, she could hear Ron's angry yells coming from the kitchen. "Damn him!" Hermione thought as she entered Ginny's room and collapsed on the bed.

**A/N: Thanks for reading and I hoped you liked it. This chapter was a little longer than the last one:) Anyway, I don't know what to improve if you don't let me know, so please review!**


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